Elaine | Name Meaning & Origin

Literary Characters Names, Mythological Names, Scottish Names, American Names, English Names, Welsh Names

English and Welsh speaking countries

Old French form of Greek Helen. Revived in Britain at the end of the 19th century and very popular in the 1950s, especially in Scotland.

In Arthurian legend, Elaine is a name shared by several different female characters, including King Arthur's half-sister, the mother of Sir Galahad and the mother of Lancelot. Elaine is also the name of the Lady of Shalott, also known as Elaine of Astolat. She harbours an unrequited love for Lancelot, and dies of heartbreak. On her death she is placed upon a boat and floats down to Camelot. This story inspired Alfred Tennyson's poem, 'The Lady of Shalott'.

Elaine Paige is an English actress and Elaine Benes was a character on 'Seinfeld'.

The name peaked in the USA in the 1940s.